Devi Mahatmyam

Devi Mahatmyam is a part of the Markandeya Purana. It is also known as Durga Saptashati or Chandi Patha. Devi Mahatmyam contains 700 verses that have been arranged into thirteen chapters. This is considered as the most important text of Shaktism. Devi Mahatmyam is considered as an effort to unify the Vedic male pantheon with the pre-existing mother goddess cult. Some aspects of Samkhya philosophy have also been elaborated in the narrative.

This text is also read as part of the Navaratri celebrations in honour of the Goddess. This text deals with the story of seven mothers and they are Brahmi, Maheswari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamunda.

Devi Mahatmya accepts the ancient Vedic tradition in the form of Vak and Trayi Vidya. It also emphasizes the philosophical doctrine of the codified system of Samkhya and Vedanta as Paramavidya. It also synthesizes the then prevailing local Mother goddess cults of Aryan and non-Aryan origin.

Though in Devi Mahatmyam Lord Shiva has been mentioned the goddess bears no special relationship to him. Devi Mahatmyam avoids characterizing such forms as consorts. Devi Mahatmyam is the Testament of Shakta philosophy. It is the base of Shakta doctrine. Several commentaries on Devi Mahatmyam are: Santhanavi, Puspanjali, Ramashrami, Nagesi, Dhamsoddharam, Guptavati, and Durgapradeepam. It significance has been explained in Tantric and Puranic texts like Katyayani Tantra, Gataka Tantra, Krodha Tantra, Meru Tantram, Marisa Kalpam, Rudra Yamala, and Chidambara Rahasya.

The thirteen chapters of Devi Mahatmyam are divided into three episodes. At the starting of each episode a different presiding goddess is invoked and none of them are mentioned in the text itself. The framing narrative of Devi Mahatmyam presents a dispossessed king, a merchant betrayed by his family, and a sage whose teachings lead to existential suffering. The story of Mahishasura Mardini is the most famous story. Kali and the Sapta Matrikas are considered as the most important Goddesses.

The four Hymns in Devi Mahatmyam are:
* Brahma-stuti or Tantrik Ratri Suktam
* Sakradi-stuti
* The "Ya Devi" Hymn and
* Narayani-stuti

Over the years Devi Mahatmyam has acquired several subsidiary texts. The preceding subsidiary texts are:
"Amba Stuti", Devi-kavacham, Argala-stotram, Keelakam, Ratri Suktam Kunjika Stotram and Ratri Suktam. The succeeding subsidiary texts are Pradhana Rahasyam, Vaikritika Rahasyam, Murti Rahasyam, Devi Suktam and Devi Suktam (Tantric).

During Sharad Navaratri Devi Mahatmyam is recited. It is also recited during the Vasantha Navaratri (March - April) in Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and other states of north India. Devi Mahatmyam is also the ritual text for performing Chandi Yajna that is performed for the general welfare of the people.

Devi Mahatmyam is a Hindu religious text and a part of the Markandeya Purana. It comprises of 700 verses that have been divided into thirteen chapters. The text relates about the battle of the Goddess Durga and Mahisasura where the deity emerges victorious. This is considered as the most important text of Shaktism. Devi Mahatmyam is also regarded as Durga Saptashati. Devi Mahatmyam is seen as an effort to unify the vedic male pantheon with the pre existing mother goddess cult. The form of Devi Mahatmyam finds a special place in the text. The different types of variations in the form have been discussed below:

Devi Mahatmya possesses number of arms that varies from one image to another. She is usually seen having two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, sixteen arms, eighteen arms, twenty arms, thirty-two arms and thousand arms.

Goddess Durga is usually adorned with several elegant ornaments such as:
* Kangan - a bracelet of beads
* Kantha - a short necklace of beads with the central pendant and a looped chain
* Biju - a row of beads over the upper arm
* Keyura - armlet of a decorative design
* Lambanam - a long necklace made of chains held at intervals by flat bands.
* Valaya - wrist band
* Sankala - anklet of thick chain
* Atkana - beaded necklace worn over the left shoulder and right arm
* Kundala - ring type ear ring
* Karnika - ear ring of trimpet shape
* Nupura - anklet with rings of elaborate design
* Kara - made of several twisted wires, worn on either anklet
* Hara - long pearl necklace
* Sitara - a round ornament on forehead
* Mekhala - waist band with many more strings with clasp and decorative designs at the centre
* Mudrika - finger ring

Devi Mahatmyam is seen holding different types of attributes in her various hands. Some of them are: chakra, bow and arrow, sula, vajra, goad, bell, conch, club, dagger, trident, battle axe, sword, snake, danda, noose, shield cup, damaru, mirror, plough and vajra.

Devi Mahatmyam is usually seen in standing posture. She is sometimes seen standing erect where the head of the buffalo is engraved over the pedestal. The deity is also seen in other postures like in alidha or pratyalidha, in tribhanga or dvibhanga style. Of these, tribhahga posture had been the most common as she is usually engaged as killing of the buffalo demon. She is seen in the samabhanga form and occasionally in dvibhanga style when she appears as the saumyamurti. When she engaged in conflict she is in tribhanga style. When the goddess is in alidha posture the right knee is thrown to the front; the leg is retracted and the left leg is diagonally stretched behind. Both the attitudes are adopted by the artist in displaying the images of the goddess.

Sometimes she is seated on a lion and at other times over the head of mahisa. She is also portrayed standing in pratyalidha posture.

The lion is usually described as the vehicle of Devi Mahatmyam. It not only acts as her mount but also functions as a forceful associate. Sometimes the goddess is seen sitting on its back and at other times the right foot of the goddess is placed on its back. Occasionally the lion is shown engaged in fight with the demon.

The goddess is usually adorned with the crown of Kirita or karanda and her body is embellished with ornaments. Her breasts are tied with a serpent and red bodice cover her breasts and upper part of the body.

The hands of Devi Mahatmyam in the sculptures are depicted in different poses such as
* Abhaya Mudra - offering protection
* Varada Mudra - bestowing the boon
* China Mudra - questioning
* Tarjani Mudra - warning
* Vismaya Mudra - surprising
* Katihasta Mudra - hand resting over the hip

Most of the texts highlight the fact that the goddess during her battle with Mahisasura fought alone with her attendants but in some of the texts she has been depicted as having been assisted by a number of elemental forces including the heads of tiger, wolf, horse, buffalo, bear, mouse, cock, bull, goat, sheep and several other types. As per certain mythological stories during the battle some of the energies emerged out of her body of the goddess which includes Goddess Kali, Goddess Bhadrakali and others, who sucked the blood of Raktabija, before it died.

Devi Mahatmyam also known as Durga Saptashati or Chandi Patha is a part of the Markandeya Purana. Devi Mahatmyam is regarded as an effort to unify the Vedic male pantheon with the pre-existing mother goddess cult. The images of the goddess have been provided with a variety of arms in several texts. In India a large number of images and sculptures of the goddess with two to thirty two arms have been discovered. A study of the few of the early reliefs helps in realizing the development aspect of this iconic motif. The variations in arms of the goddess have been discussed below in details.

Two Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The two armed form of the Devi Mahatmyam had been very common in the ancient period. The use of the same motif continued almost upto the medieval times.

Four Armed Devi Mahatmyam : Several texts describe the goddess having four arms with which she holds a conch shell, a chakra, a noose, an ankusa or the head of the demon. The four armed variety of the goddess appears during the time of Kushana Empire. The two terracotta plaques from Nagar dating back to the 1st century B.C. depict the goddess having four arms. This form of the goddess became much popular during the Gupta period. A sculpture has been discovered from Bhumara where the goddess has placed her right foot over the snout of the buffalo. In her two hands she holds a khatvanga, while in the right hand she holds a trident and the buffalo`s hind legs. Another image of the goddess from Bhuvanesvara portrays her almost similarly except that she lifts the buffalo with her left hand and pierces the trident into its head. In a sculpture of the eighth century A.D., preserved in the Srirangam temple, she is depicted with her right knee slightly bent over the severed head of the buffalo. Two devotees kneel on either side of the goddess. One of them is cutting out his flesh to offer the goddess. Another four armed bronze image of the goddess has been discovered in Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. It is popularly known as Laksana Devi and dates back to the eighth century. A stone image of the goddess has also been preserved in the Thiruvananthapuram Museum. The asura emerging out of the severed neck of the buffalo holds a club in the right hand and the shield in the left one. The lion is present to the right of the goddess. The asura is sometimes depicted in composite form with the animal head placed over the human body. One such specimen was discovered from Aihole. The demon is seen lying down whose head is held by the goddess in her right hand while striking into his stomach. In a terracotta seal from Punjab, the goddess is shown slaying the asura with her trident. The lion is on the right of the goddess. In another specimen from Chhatrari, in Himachal Pradesh, Mahisasura has been shown in human form. It also has horns and its severed head is being carried by the lion in its mouth. The standing goddess in her triumphant form had been famous during the reign of the Pallava Dynasty and the Chola Dynasty. The outstanding specimen of this type is available from Brihadeshwara temple. The goddess holds a disc, a conch shell and abhaya mudra and the fourth hand is placed over the waist in the katihasta posture. A wooden sculpture from Chamba depicts the demon being attacked by the goddess with a trident in her left arm. A specimen has been preserved in the National Museum, New Delhi in the form of a miniature where the goddess is shown mounted over a lion.

Six Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The six armed sculpture of the goddess belong to the Kushana period and have been well preserved in the Mathura Museum. In this form she carries the wheel, a conch, a sword, a trident, a bow and an arrow. She is holds the buffalo demon in the form of breaking her neck. Her mount, the lion is absent in the cases.

Eight Armed Devi Mahatmyam : Several Sanskrit texts portray the goddess having eight arms with which she holds a noose, a conch, a trident, a sword, a bow, an arrow, a chakra and a club. Some of these weapons were sometimes replaced by mudras. Artists have at times resorted to minor deviations from the texts and depict situations completely different from the theme. In certain cases Maruti or other gods like Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva have been placed in the battle field. The Mahisasura has been portrayed in several forms like the buffalo or the human form emerging out of the severed neck of buffalo. Sometimes the demon was grabbed by the heels and at other times the tongue of the animal was pulled out by the goddess.

During the Kushana period Mathura had been a centre of great worship of the deity. The Mathura Museum has two sculptures of the eight armed goddess. In one of the forms she holds the neck of the demon while she pierces the trident in the body of the asura. A temple in Bhubaneshvar has an eight armed goddess. She holds the usual attributes. With one of her left hand she holds the snout of the buffalo tightly and places her right foot firmly over the back of a buffalo. Another sculpture discovered at Aihole depicts the goddess placing her left foot over the back of the demon. The trident of the goddess pierces the back of the buffalo. The image of the goddess from Jagat depicts her standing in alidha posture. Another eight armed goddess from Alampur portrays the goddess standing in pratyaildha posture. She places her left foot over the back of the buffalo.

A sculpture of the goddess from Khajuraho depicts her standing in alidha posture, placing her right foot over the buffalo`s back which kneels down in front. The chakra half pierces into the buffalo`s back. The Virupaksha Temple at Bilgi projects the goddess standing on her right leg and raising up her left one. The buffalo demon here instead of resisting, fondly licks the foot of this goddess. A similar representation is available from Aihole. The image of the goddess from Vellore depicts her standing in alidha posture placing the right foot over the back of the buffalo. The goddess stands in pratyalidha posture in an image preserved in the Hyderabad Museum. She places her left foot over the back of the buffalo. The lion is seated to the right. Another image of the goddess from the Chausatha-yogini temple depicts her lifting the buffalo by the heels and placing her right foot over its back. A sculpture of the goddess from the Lucknow Museum represents her standing in alidha posture. Bharat Kala Bhavan in Varanasi preserves an image of the eight armed goddess. In this case the goddess holds the demon by his hair. The goddess from Serai from Hooghly district stands in alidha posture and pierces a trident into the chest of the asura.

Ten Armed Devi Mahatmyam : Devi Mahatmyam possessing ten arms has been depicted in several Sanskrit texts. She holds a chakra, an arrow, a bow, a sula, a vajra, an ankusa and a bell. A sculpture of the goddess has been kept in the Allahabad Museum. It demonstrates the goddess dancing over the body of the buffalo, whose head is severed. In one of her hands she holds a bowl of human skull. Another image of the goddess from the Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho illustrates the goddess piercing the trident into the body of the buffalo. A tenth century image of the goddess from Sakta in Bengal, depicts the goddess standing in pratydlidha posture placing her left foot over the asura in human form, holding a sword in both his hands. A sculpture from Dulmi kept in the Indian Museum; Kolkata depicts the goddess killing the asura. A similar sculpture of the goddess has been preserved in the Marimata temple, Nowgaun in Assam. Several sculptures of the goddess with ten arms are reported from Cuttack, Baijnath- Almora, Bharat Kala Bhawan, Varanasi, Udayagiri-Vidisa and several other sites in the country.

Twelve Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The twelve armed idol of Devi Mahatmya has been described in Matsya Purana. A twelve armed sculpture has been preserved in the Udayagiri caves. A sculpture of the twelve armed goddess belongs to the of the Gupta period. A late medieval sculpture from Rohtak depicts the goddess dealing with the buffalo from whose severed neck the asura emerges holding a shield and a sword. The asura has two horns over his head.

Sixteen Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The goddess with sixteen arms is rarely seen. However, this form has also been patronised. A stone panel in the Rajshahi Museum, in West Dinajpur district displays the goddess in the centre with eighteen arms. Another sixteen armed idol of the goddess depicts her killing of buffalo form from whose severed neck the asura emerges. The trident of the goddess is shown pierced into the chest of the asura. The images of the goddess from Baijnath (Almora), Khajuraho, Kangra and Belur, have similar type of projections. A miniature from Chamba has been preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Here the goddess with her sixteen arms holds various attributes like a lotus, an axe, a rod, a conch, an arrow, a chakra and a sword in her left hands while in the right hands, she holds a bow, a noose, a club, a trident, a sula, a cup and a dagger. She stands on the back of the buffalo piercing a trident in the chest of the asura and simultaneously slaying the buffalo.

Eighteen Armed Devi Mahatmyam : Several texts describe Devi Mahatmyam having eighteen arms. A sculpture of the goddess from the temple at Chidambaram is depicted with eighteen arms. An inscription has been engraved below the idol states that the goddess is Tripurasundari. Another sculpture from Gangaikonda-colapuram depicts the eighteen armed goddess in combat with asura. In a miniature from Kulu portrays the asura having ears of an elephant. In a Rajasthani miniature the goddess is shown engaged in combat with asura.

Twenty Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The goddess with twenty arms has been patronised by artists at a much later stage. A sculpture from Chidambaram depicts the goddess engaged in combat with asura. The head of a buffalo fixed over the human body. The goddess has placed her foot over the left foot of the demon. The goddess from Bheraghat, Jabalpur has twenty unbroken arms and stands in alidha posture, with her right foot over the buffalo, whose neck is already severed. It head with a protruding tongue is seen fallen on the ground. The asura has emerged out of the severed neck of the buffalo and kneels down in front.

Thirty-Two Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The textual references to the goddess possessing thirty-two arms are rarely found. A stone sculpture from West Dinajpur district of West Bengal, depicts the goddess with thirty-two arms that holds various attributes. On the right side of the goddess a female attendant is seen holding an umbrella over the goddess. On the left side four pot bellied dwarfs with wide open eyes can be seen. On the top of prabhavali, the miniature figurines of Ganga, Lord Surya, Lord Vishnu, Lord Siva and Lord Brahma are carved.

Thousand Armed Devi Mahatmyam : The Puranic texts also defines the goddess possessing thousands arms. Devi Mahatmya has been defined as the goddess as all powerful, omnipresent, and the universal mother who destroys the demonic power of the universe.